Ski Racing technique

There are generally two schools to technique in slalom, we'll call them the Austrian and the American. I'll break these two down and highlight the differences, along with examples.

Austrian: This is the old school, the biggest thing to remember is that it accentuates forward hips and ankle pressure. Performed perfectly it would be: Hips forward (over the bindings) ankles flexed, shoulders rounded forward with minimal angles. Angles refer to how close to parallel your legs come with the ground during a turn. The biggest thing are the hips. This form works because you gain leverage over the ski, and therefore you are able to put more pressure on the ski, bending it and building more energy, which equals more speed. The best example of this kind of skier is Mario Matt, you can see this kind of technique here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=fmSl44JXtNU

American: It gets a little more interesting here, American skiing has evolved since Bode Miller first busted on to the scene. This technique features the hips far behind the legs, almost as if you're sitting in a chair. It also features maximum angles with rounded shoulders and most importantly huge ankle flexion. This technique works because it puts more pressure on the back end of the ski, so the front skims the snow, almost like a motor-boat. you can see it here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4EJSR1DjEhI Other notable skiers who use this technique are Jens Byggmark, Ted Ligety and Jimmy Cochran. You absolutely cannot succeed skiing like this unless you are extremely quick, as the lack of pressure gives you less control. There is no doubt that if implemented correctly, this technique is fast, however the athletes who use it also experience a high DNF rate.

Another interesting strategy has emerged in Byggmark and Ligety's skiing. These guys will literally plant their fist on the ground and pivot around it. The main reason is to build even greater angles, and therefore exert more pressure on the ski.

Finally, Bode Miller has a unique piece to his form. He reaches for the gate when he approaces and rotates his hips with his hand, building pressure even more.

So there you have it, a breakdown of the two different "schools" of technique in Alpine Ski Racing.